1. health and fitness
2. disease

DIARRHEAL DISEASE:
Solutions to Defeat a Global Killer
1
Tragically, diarrheal disease remains one of the leading killers of children around the
world, responsible for the deaths of nearly 1.6 million children annually, yet is no longer
considered a global health priority.
Diarrheal disease is the most common cause of illness and the second leading cause
of child death in the world. It is claiming the lives of nearly 4,000 children each day. The
burden is greatest in the developing world where access to safe water, sanitation, and
medical care are often limited.
We can change this.
The global health community has at hand the knowledge and solutions to prevent and
treat diarrhea. By increasing awareness, making proven lifesaving interventions —
including health, safe water, and sanitation solutions — widely available to everyone who
needs them, and working to reestablish diarrheal disease as a global health priority, we
can save millions of children’s lives around the world.
Please join with us to aggressively meet this growing challenge. Because no child should
die from diarrhea.
Sincerely,
Christopher J. Elias, MD, MPH
President and CEO, PATH
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SOMETHING AS PREVENTABLE AND TREATABLE AS DIARRHEA SHOULDN’T KILL KIDS.
But it does. Around the world, every day, more than 4,000 children lose their lives to diarrhea. It is the
second-leading killer of children under the age of five worldwide. Diarrheal disease claims the lives of
1.6 million children annually and is responsible for the hospitalization of millions more.1
Beyond the potentially devastating and immediate
impact of diarrheal disease, it can also have
long-lasting implications. Diarrhea causes more
illnesses than any other ailment.2 Children who
survive persistent diarrhea are likely to suffer
from malnutrition, stunted growth, and learning
difficulties.
and zinc treatment speed recovery and save lives.
In the 1980s and 1990s, diarrheal disease was
considered a global health priority, and the support
for implementation and aggressive scale-up of
intervention methods — by political leaders and
the international community with research and
funding commitments — led to dramatic gains in
the fight against diarrhea, including a reduction of
mortality rates by almost 50 percent.
While diarrheal disease is a global killer, it
disproportionally strikes those living in developing
nations, where the children at greatest risk are those
who may be malnourished and lack access to clean
water, proper sanitation, and urgent medical care.
But over the last decade, momentum has
slowed, with declines in research and funding
commitments and competing global health
priorities. The perceived lack of urgency and taboo
nature of the illness may have also contributed to
the current low level of awareness surrounding the
issue. There have been advocacy challenges as well,
because groups have acted in isolation and failed to
exploit opportunities to collaborate across sectors.
All of this has contributed to stagnated progress
and even declines in intervention coverage in some
countries. This is occurring at a time when the
World Health Organization (WHO) has reported
that diarrheal disease is the most common illness
in the world.2
Deaths from Diarrhea Disproportionately
Target the Poor Due to:
ZPoor environmental sanitation
ZInadequate water supply
ZPoverty
ZLimited education
Diarrheal disease doesn’t have to be a top killer
of children in developing countries. Proven,
lifesaving interventions already exist. They include
prevention methods such as improved sanitation
and hygiene, access to safe drinking water,
vaccines, exclusive breastfeeding, and optimal
complementary feeding. And, when diarrhea
occurs, treatment options such as oral rehydration
solution (ORS)/oral rehydration therapy (ORT)
Diarrheal disease is not just a health issue, but an
economic one as well. In sub-Saharan Africa, for
example, treating water-borne diseases like diarrhea
costs governments at least 12 percent of their
total health budgets each year.3 The World Bank
estimates that environmental health problems —
4
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Vaccines. Vaccines that prevent rotavirus — the most common and lethal cause of diarrheal disease — have the potential to
save nearly 2.5 million children’s lives in the next 20 years.4 Vaccines have already been approved by the WHO for use in North
America, Latin America, and Europe. Once the WHO makes a global recommendation, anticipated in 2009, Africa and Asia will
be eligible for GAVI financing for rotavirus vaccines.
Exclusive breastfeeding and optimal complementary feeding. Exclusive breastfeeding (no additional food and fluids) provides
infants six months of age and younger with essential nutrients and immune factors that both protect them from diarrheal
disease and speed diarrhea recovery when episodes occur. Optimal complementary feeding with continued breastfeeding for
infants and young children ages 6 to 24 months is essential to ensure they are healthy, well nourished, and better able to survive
an episode of diarrhea.
Oral rehydration therapy (ORT)/oral rehydration solution (ORS). Severe diarrhea can lead to life-threatening dehydration.
ORT and ORS involve rehydrating children by replacing fluids and electrolytes lost through diarrhea. The broader intervention
method, ORT, involves rehydrating children through increased appropriate and available fluids and continued feeding to
prevent and treat diarrhea-related dehydration. ORS is a specific way of implementing ORT. It is a simple mixture of sugar and
salt added to clean water and can be administered at home.
Zinc treatment and other micronutrients. Treatment of diarrheal disease with zinc supplementation can reduce the severity
and duration of diarrhea episodes. It may also prevent future episodes for up to three months. Other micronutrients, particularly
vitamin A, are also important in controlling severe episodes.
such as diarrhea and associated malnutrition —
cost low-income governments up to 9 percent of
their annual gross domestic products (GDP).5
health community possesses the interventions
and knowledge to save millions of children’s
lives worldwide. We can do this by reprioritizing
diarrheal disease on the global health agenda;
educating, increasing awareness, and mobilizing
health care providers, policymakers, and the larger
global community around the burden of diarrheal
disease and the lifesaving interventions that exist
today; and by implementing these solutions with a
coordinated approach.
We can change this.
Today, the leading causes of death among children
under the age of five, particularly in the developing
world, are pneumonia and diarrhea. These illnesses
are both preventable and treatable. The global
5
BACKGROUND
]Diarrhea is the world’s most effective weapon of mass destruction.^
— Rose George, journalist and author of The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why it Matters 6
Diarrheal Disease Transmission and Burden
The WHO defines diarrhea as the passage of three
or more loose or liquid stools per day, or more
frequently than is normal for an individual. It is
caused by bacterial, viral, and parasitic organisms
and is usually a symptom of gastrointestinal
infection.
Diarrheal disease is transmitted through the fecaloral route and is spread through contaminated
food and drinking water or from person to person
as a result of poor hygiene and sanitation. Diarrhea
is life-threatening because it leads to fluid loss and
can cause severe dehydration. Infants who are not
exclusively breastfed, young children, and adults
who are malnourished or have weakened immune
systems are at greatest risk.7, 8
Today Evalyne does everything she can today to protect her son, shown here, from
the fatal diarrhea that took his brother’s life.
ZBloody diarrhea is often related to malnutrition,
intestinal damage, and secondary sepsis. It is often
associated with dysentery.8
Diarrhea has both short-term and long-lasting effects,
ranging from severe dehydration to malnutrition,
which in turn can weaken its victims’ immune
systems and make them more susceptible to future
diarrhea episodes as well as other illnesses. Children
who are malnourished are also more susceptible to
the consequences of diarrhea. In fact, many children
dying of diarrhea would likely survive if they were
adequately nourished.9 Studies indicate that diarrhea
can also lead to long-term physical impairments
such as stunted growth and reduced intellectual
development.8
There are three major diarrhea syndromes: acute
watery, persistent, and bloody.
ZAcute watery diarrhea is the type that most
likely leads to rapid dehydration. This form is the
most deadly in young children and is commonly
associated with rotavirus, enterotoxigenic E. coli, or
V. cholerae (cholera).
ZPersistent diarrhea, a less common form, is
typically connected with malnutrition and is
disproportionally associated with an increased risk
of death.
Whether a child survives a diarrhea episode or
not may depend on where he or she lives. While
6
E A RLY SU CC ESS I N EGYP T
In 1977, diarrhea-related dehydration was responsible for
the deaths of nearly half of the infants in Egypt. To address
this, the National Control of Diarrheal Disease Project of
Egypt was formed to promote the use of locally produced
oral rehydration salts — used to treat dehydration — and to inform mothers of small children about the appropriate
treatment for diarrhea. The project trained health care workers on the optimal treatment for diarrhea-related dehydration
and reached mothers through television and other mass media programming, which led to almost universal awareness
among Egyptian mothers and a four-fold increase in the distribution of oral rehydration salts. From 1982 to 1987, with
a significant funding effort by the USAID, diarrhea-related infant deaths fell 82 percent and older children deaths due to
diarrhea fell 62 percent.10
diarrheal disease occurs worldwide, 90 percent of
diarrheal disease deaths in children under age five
occur in developing countries.11 In these regions,
awareness of, and access to, existing lifesaving
interventions is often limited. In fact, research
indicates that only about one-third of children
suffering from diarrheal disease in developing
countries actually receive the recommended
treatment they need.12
Concerned about Abel Juma’s condition, Evalyne
carried him to the nearest health clinic —
journeying on foot from their home. Because
the two medical officers at the clinic serve a
community of more than 200,000 people, there are
hundreds of visits to the clinic each day. Evalyne
and Abel Juma waited for hours to see a doctor
to receive free oral rehydration for his diarrheainduced dehydration. Evalyne, like most people
in low-income countries, lives on less than US$1
per day and could not afford the oral rehydration
salts sold for US$0.25 at the local pharmacy. As
the hours dragged on and Abel Juma’s condition
continued to deteriorate, Evalyne grew desperate
and eventually left the clinic to see a traditional
healer, who treated Abel Juma with herbs. Abel
Juma died the following day, having never received
the doctor’s care or the treatment he needed.
No Child Should Die From It.
No Parent Should Dread It.
Evalyne, a mother of three children living in
Kenya’s Western Province, experienced something
almost all parents go through: her two-year-old
son, Abel Juma, became sick with diarrhea.
While diarrheal disease is both preventable and
treatable, in Kenya and many parts of the world
it can be fatal.
7
THE L EA D I NG KI L L ERS OF CHI L D RE N
Deaths from Diarrhea Disproportionately Target Children
3.5
< 5 years old
> 5 years old
2.7
Deaths (millions)
2.2
Evalyne’s experience, sadly, is not unique. In fact,
her neighbor, Paula, lost her nephew to diarrhea
when he was six. Paula has five children of her own,
and her three-year-old daughter nearly died when
she became severely dehydrated from diarrhea.
Now, Paula says, when one of her children gets
diarrhea, “I am afraid of losing my child every time.”
1.7
1.1
Acute
Respiratory
Infection
Abel Juma and Paula’s nephew are just two of more
than one million children whose lives are lost
each year to diarrheal disease. Their excruciating
experiences — shared by millions of parents around
the world — could have been prevented.13
AIDS
Diarrhea
TB
Source: WHO, 2000.
ZDr. James Grant focused the United Nations
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) efforts on ORS,
highlighting the success of the simple sugar and
salt solution’s ability to prevent diarrhea-related
mortality. This paved the way for other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), countries, and
donors to focus on diarrheal disease.
Diarrheal Disease Mortality Can Be Stopped
In the 1980s and 1990s, dramatic gains were made
in the fight against diarrheal disease. Diarrhearelated deaths were reduced from nearly 5 million
to almost 2.5 million annually. This was due to a
combination of factors:
ZThe WHO created the Diarrhoeal Disease
Control (CDD) Programme and devoted
significant resources and funding to it. The larger
global health community mobilized around
the issue. For example, UNICEF, the United
States Agency for International Development
(USAID), the World Bank, and the United Nations
Development Program (UNDP) joined efforts
to collaborate on country-level programming
and training for health care providers and
communities.
ZDiarrheal disease became a highly visible global
health priority.
ZExtraordinary improvements were made in
access to safe drinking water and sanitation. In
total, development efforts during the International
Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade (1981
to 1990) and the following decade (1991 to 2000)
provided water to more than 2 billion people and
sanitation to more than 1.5 billion.14
8
Malaria
Today, even with the dramatic gains made earlier in
the fight against diarrhea, it is still the second-leading
killer of children around the world. Diarrheal disease
is no longer considered a global health priority,
and the children in developing nations where the
diarrhea burden is greatest are not receiving the
simple and effective interventions they need.
W H ERE D O C HI LD D EAT H S F R O M DIAR R H EA OCCUR?
Middle East
East Asia
Latin America
Sub-Saharan
Africa
We can change this and stop this global killer now.
ZNumerous cost-effective, lifesaving sanitation,
hygiene, and health interventions exist. By
increasing awareness of and access to these
interventions, millions of lives can be saved.
ZExisting interventions and the development
of new tools to fight diarrheal disease have the
potential to generate further funding for diarrheal
disease efforts and motivate a scale-up approach to
addressing diarrheal disease.
South Asia
ZThe global health community has committed to
improving conditions for children around the world
with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Fighting diarrheal disease can spur progress
toward achieving targets in MDG 4, reducing child
mortality by two-thirds, and MDG 7, reducing
by half the number of people without sustainable
access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation,
before the 2015 target deadline.
Source: Borrazzo, 2009.
ZCountries followed suit. ORS programs were
aggressively implemented in Bangladesh, Egypt,
Ethiopia, India, and Pakistan.
But throughout the 1990s, global health priorities
shifted, and some considered the issue “solved”
due to the dramatic reduction in mortality rates.
As NGOs and donors reallocated attention and
resources, diarrheal disease began to lose salience
as a global health priority. At the same time, issues
such as HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria emerged as
global health priorities.
ZDonors and policymakers have indicated an interest
in investing in solutions that will help countries
reach the goals. Funding for child health, water, and
sanitation efforts is increasing — but not quickly
enough. And leaders in countries such as India,
Indonesia, and Nicaragua, where the diarrheal disease
burden is great, have expressed a need to address
diarrheal disease as a national health priority.15
While successful in reducing the diarrheal disease
death toll, the earlier strategy focused on diarrhea
treatment and mortality reduction rather than
focusing on preventing diarrheal disease in the first
place. Over time, diarrheal disease incident rates
continued to remain high in developing nations.
This is the time to act.
9
PREVENTION
]Diarrheal disease is like an emergency happening every day, and it’s
easily preventable...^ — Dr. Greg Allgood, Director of Children’s Safe Drinking Water, Proctor and Gamble
16
Nearly nine out of ten child deaths due to diarrhea
could be prevented by interventions existing today.
There are more effective and lifesaving solutions
for preventing and treating diarrhea than any
other childhood illness.17 Because diarrheal disease
has many different causes and infections respond
differently to each intervention method, successfully
combating diarrheal disease requires a coordinated
approach that includes both prevention and
treatment methods to effectively address and treat
all of the possible causes and effects of diarrhea.
young children, at risk of diarrheal disease and
other illnesses.18
Worldwide, more than 1 billion people lack
access to safe drinking water, and many
more drink grossly contaminated water.11
Diarrhea can be prevented with proven, costeffective measures such as water purification,
improved sanitation, and hand-washing. While the
long-term solution to effective diarrhea prevention
likely rests on increased investment in water and
sanitation infrastructure systems, these homebased tools can dramatically save lives today.
Diarrheal disease prevention methods include
improving water quality, sanitation, and hygiene.
Exclusive breastfeeding can prevent and mitigate
the effects of diarrhea in infants under six months
of age. In addition, existing vaccines for rotavirus
and vaccines currently under development for the
bacterial causes of diarrhea have the potential to
save millions of lives.
:: Point-of-Use and Household Water
Treatment and Storage Approaches
Problem. Water can be contaminated at its
source, as it is transported, and at the point of its
consumption.
:: Safe Water
Water touches every part of our lives, from
drinking to food preparation to bathing to
cleaning. Because of this, access to safe, clean
water is critical. However, in the developing world
where infrastructure may be lacking, people are
more likely to be exposed to water contaminated
with pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and
parasites from human and animal waste. Exposure
to contaminated water puts people, especially
Solution. Point-of-use (POU) treatment and
household water treatment and storage (HWTS)
involve disinfecting water prior to use. POU
treatment and HWTS both allow individuals
and communities to treat their own water.
These methods encompass a variety of low-cost
10
C LE A N WATER
WATER,, BETTER S C HOOL ATTE NDANC
NDAN C E
The negative consequences of contaminated water extend far beyond health
issues such as diarrheal disease. For example, in Malawi, contaminated
drinking water and the diarrheal disease it causes led to children missing
many days of school. The Midzemba ADP Schools Safe Water Project, a partnership between Procter and Gamble’s Children’s
Safe Drinking Water Program, World Vision, and Population Services International/Malawi worked to reduce diarrheal disease
episodes and absenteeism in target area schools.
The program implemented POU water treatment in target schools using WaterGuard Wa Ufa (known as PUR in the United
States). A small four-gram satchel of the powdered treatment has the capacity to clean ten liters of water by killing bacteria,
viruses and removing solid materials in about 20 minutes. The water disinfectant was used by students at these schools along
with complementary diarrheal disease intervention methods, including hand-washing with soap after using the restroom and
improving sanitation by increasing the number of pit latrines available to students.
Students were provided with treated drinking water at school, buckets with taps for storing treated water, and materials for handwashing. The schools also worked to raise awareness about the importance of hand-washing with soap and drinking treated water.
The program led to a 90 percent reduction in diarrheal disease in target schools and a 57 percent reduction in school absences.
Additionally, pit latrine coverage increased by 75 percent.
Broader benefits were also realized in the general community. Children brought their improved hand-washing habits to their
families, leading to a more than 50 percent decrease in diarrheal disease in this Malawi community.19
approaches, including disinfection by the sun,
UV lamps, boiling, filtration, absorption, and
chemical disinfection, such as using a chlorine or
bleach treatment and flocculants.18 Boiling water
is the most common method used in households
today. Safe storage following water purification
treatment is necessary in order to prevent
subsequent water contamination. The success of this
intervention method is dependent upon education
and the resulting individual behavior change.
Impact. When implemented correctly, POU
treatment can be more effective than treating water
at its source.11
POU treatment and safe storage can reduce
diarrhea by 30 to 50 percent.20
11
NE W S A N ITAT IO N HAB IT S I N M A DAGA S CAR
For generations of Madagascans, the prospect of using
a latrine meant confronting superstitions and changing
traditions — not an easy task. When children learn from an
early age that squatting over a pit can induce a miscarriage
or that excrement does not belong in the same ground that
holds their deceased family members, education to dispel
these myths is just as important as the actual latrines
themselves.
An excited crowd of children watches a WaterAid puppet show.
Today, only 7.5 percent of the rural population in
Madagascar has access to adequate sanitation, according to WaterAid. But residents of Mangarivotra are
trying to change attitudes toward latrines. In a village where only a few residents are literate, the message
about clean sanitation through the use of latrines is communicated by a series of puppet shows. Nearly 300
children watched several young puppeteers demonstrate how the latrines will keep them healthy. Now, the
latrines are so popular in some areas, security guards have begun monitoring toilet factories.21
:: Improved Sanitation
In developing countries, 1 in 5 people
Sanitation involves the safe disposal of human and
animal waste and the associated hygiene.
do not have accesss to safe water.
Roughly half are without proper sanitation.23
More than 200 million tons of human waste goes
uncollected and untreated annually, leading to
contaminated water sources, food, and people’s
hands, all of which can spread cholera, typhoid,
dysentery, and other potentially fatal diseases.
latrine. To address global sanitation needs and
the related illnesses poor sanitation can lead to
in developing nations, the United Nations (UN)
created a specific sanitation-related target in its
MDGs. The target calls for the number of people
without sustainable access to safe drinking water
and sanitation to be reduced by half by 2015.24
At current rates, this target will not be reached in
A child dies every 20 seconds as a direct result of
poor sanitation.22
Problem. Currently, 40 percent of the world’s
population does not even have access to a safe pit
12
CO M P ETITION LEADS TO R EDUC
EDU C TI ON IN D IA RR HE A
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in partnership with Johnson &
Johnson began working in Cameroon to provide training and
tools for residents in Lobeke National Park to construct latrines
in their communities. A friendly competition between villages
led to rapid construction across a region where sufficient
sanitation is nearly non-existent.
As a result, the Salapoumbé Private Catholic Hospital in
southeastern Cameroon reported that children with diarrhea
admitted to the hospital dropped significantly a few months after
the latrines were introduced. Building on this success, funds were
extended to the hospital to create an additional water source,
thereby providing clean water to its patients as well as general
residents. Construction is scheduled for 2009.25, 26
two regions where the diarrheal disease burden is
greatest: it will not be reached in South Asia until
2043,27 and it will not be reached in sub-Saharan
Africa until 2076.28
“Far more people endure the largely preventable
effects of poor sanitation and water supply than
are affected by war, terrorism, and weapons
of mass destruction combined. Yet, those
other issues capture the public and political
Solution. Sanitation can be improved by
discouraging open defecation and encouraging the
safe disposal of human waste with covered, properly
maintained pit latrines — which are more commonly
used in rural areas — and community septic tanks
and sewer systems in urban areas. Children’s waste
should be properly handled and disposed.28
imagination — and public resources — in a way
that water and sanitation issues do not. Why?
Perhaps it is because most people…find it hard to
imagine defecating daily in plastic bags, buckets,
open pits, agricultural fields, and public areas…”
— Jamie Bartram, Kristen Lewis, Roberto Lenton, and Albert Wright for
the WHO and UN Millenium Project Task Force on Water and Sanitation.24
Impact. When implemented correctly, sanitation
can reduce diarrheal disease by 36 percent.28
13
S O NG S CA N E FF E CT
C T IV E LY E DU C AT
ATE
E KIDS
O N HOW TO S TAY H E ALT H Y
Maintaining good hygiene is a very serious issue in Tanzania,
where cholera and diarrheal diseases frequently keep kids sick
and away from school. However, school attendance has risen
at Kisaki Primary School in Singida because the children are
learning about good hygiene through song and sharing these
songs with their families.
“We can prevent diseases like cholera, bilharzia, and diarrhea
We have to get rid of them completely and wipe them out
We should not walk barefoot by water
We should boil water before drinking it
We should wash our hands after going to the latrine and
before eating
Don’t wash at the water point
We can get rid of diarrhea.”
In a country where the act of washing one’s hands can reduce
diarrheal diseases by 40 percent, these simple rhymes are
saving lives.29
:: Better Hygiene
clothes, it is not always a priority for use in handwashing, which can substantially raise its cost.
In areas where the cost of soap is significant, ash
can be used as an effective cleanser. It is critical to
educate parents and caregivers about the health
benefits of hand-washing. In some countries, handwashing after using the bathroom is not commonly
practiced. Only 3 percent of people in Ghana, 6
percent in Peru, and 31 percent in Senegal wash
their hands after defecation.30
Many illnesses, particularly diarrhea, can be prevented
with proper hygiene and sanitation practices.
Problem. Contaminated hands are one of the main
ways diarrheal disease is spread.
Solution. Hand-washing with soap can interrupt
the transmission path of diarrhea.18 While soap is
widely available in many parts of the developing
world and is used for washing the body and
14
example, sanitation with increased hygiene can
reduce incidences of diarrhea by 65 percent.
The top killers of children in the
developing world are diarrheal disease
and acute respiratory infections like
Impact. Optimal hand-washing with soap can
reduce diarrhea by 45 percent.28
pneumonia. The simple act of handwashing with soap can cut diarrhea risk
by almost half and respiratory tract
infection by a third.30
Since hand-washing requires a behavior change,
it works best as part of a broader package of
comprehensive intervention methods.8 For
15
K E E PING INFA NT S HE A LT HY
In Lesotho, a common cultural practice is to wait until a newborn’s
umbilical cord falls off to begin breastfeeding. When Mamorena
Namane gave birth, she fed her child only water for the first seven
days of his life. She noticed that her son was frequently ill and later
learned that not beginning breastfeeding immediately could have
put her baby at risk.
Breast milk is the healthiest and safest food for infants in the first
six months because it gives them critical nutrients, antibodies, and
fluids to help decrease their risk of illness and infection, including
diarrheal disease. USAID’s Infant and Young Child Nutrition (IYCN)
Project, implemented by PATH, is working to raise awareness
among families and communities about healthy and safe feeding
practices for young children so that mothers learn how to protect
their babies and young children from illness. This important information is currently spreading throughout the
community, strengthening support for early breastfeeding to keep all Lesotho’s children safe and healthy.31
:: Infant and Young Child Feeding
dehydration caused by diarrhea than infants who
are exclusively breastfed.
Problem. Infants are at greatest risk of diarrheal
disease when foods other than breast milk are
given because they lose the protection of breast
milk’s anti-infective properties and are more likely
to be exposed to food- and water-borne pathogens.
Alternatives to breast milk carry risks, particularly
in areas where infectious disease levels and the
potential for improper food preparation and
storage practices are high.
Infants who are fed cow milk are 18 times more
likely to die from diarrhea when compared with
infants who are exclusively breastfed.32
Solution. Exclusive breastfeeding has many
health benefits for infants less than six months of
age, including the prevention and treatment of
infections such as diarrheal disease.8 Breastfeeding
for children 6 to 24 months, with appropriate
complementary foods, is a key component of
Infants under 2 months of age who are not
breastfed are 25 times more likely to die from
16
Relative
R
l ti Risk
Ri k for
f Infant
I f t Mortality
M t lity D
Due tto IInfectious
f ti
Di
Diseases att Diff
Differentt A
Ages
g
According
A
di g to
t T
Type
yp off Milk Consumed
C
d
Type
T
yp off Milk C
Consumed
d
Age
A
g (i
(in months)
th )
Di h
Diarrhea
<2
2–11
2
11
Respiratory
<2
2–11
Other Infections
<2
2–11
Breast
eas Only
O y
Breast + Other*
Other
Other Only*
Onlyy
1.0
1.0
3.1
2.5
24.7
3.5
1.0
1.0
2.7
2.5
3.3
2.0
1.0
1.0
0.9
0.7
3.9
2.9
*Based on matched analysis but not adjusted for confounding variables.
Source: The Lancet, 1987.
an optimal feeding plan, which can significantly
reduce diarrhea and provide the nutrients that
prevent stunting and the cognitive effects of
repeated diarrhea episodes.
Impact. By increasing the duration and exclusivity
of breastfeeding until infants are at least 6 months
of age, an estimated 1.5 million infants’ lives
worldwide could be saved each year.34
Breast milk provides ideal and complete nutrition
for infants in their first six months of life. It
provides immediate immune protection from
the mother and stimulates the development of an
infant’s immune system. It also improves responses
to vaccines and provides many health and growth
enhancing molecules, enzymes, proteins, and
hormones, which are unique to breast milk.
Exclusive breastfeeding prevents diarrheal disease
in two ways. First, it eliminates the intake of
potentially contaminated food and water at the
time when infants have poorly developed digestive
systems. Second, breast milk contains secretory
antibodies and other immune factors specific for
protection against gastro-intestinal pathogens,
and has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and
immunomodulatory effects.35
Initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of life,
exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, timely
and adequate complementary feeding, continued
breastfeeding for two years, and good nutrition and
restorative feeding for ages over two are some of the
key feeding practices that can improve children’s
health, especially in developing countries.33
For an infant, continued breastfeeding during
and following an episode of diarrhea significantly
reduces the risk of dehydration and prevents
weight loss and malnutrition. Breastfeeding may
also help infants recover from diarrheal disease
faster and reduce the severity and duration of the
17
A CO O R D I N AT E D A P P R O A C H TO F I G H T I N G D I A R R H E A
IN NICARAGUA
When an outbreak of rotavirus nearly crippled Nicaragua’s health system six
years ago, several Ministry of Health (MOH) departments formed a dedicated
alliance to reduce the burden of diarrheal disease, including a unique team of
experts on hygiene, epidemiology, nutrition, and child health. In less than two years, a team of representatives from the
ministry — along with NicaSalud (a local coalition of NGOs), PATH, UNICEF, and others — brought public-sector clinics
on board and trained health care workers to provide zinc and ORT throughout the country. A parallel demonstration
project by the MOH and Merck, which donated more than one million doses of rotavirus vaccine, offered the opportunity
to integrate rotavirus vaccination. The introduction of the rotavirus vaccine in 2006 marked the first time in history that
a developing country took up a vaccine in the same year as its adoption in the United States. More than 85 percent of
vaccine-eligible children were reached in the project’s first year. Citing cross-disciplinary cooperation as fundamental to
the program’s achievements, the MOH credited the alliance with building awareness of zinc treatment, ORT, and rotavirus
vaccines. Nicaragua’s strategy for diarrheal disease control illustrates how a coordinated approach can strengthen efforts
and achieve benefits throughout the health system. The approach is well under way and informing similar strategies
throughout the region and the world.
episode because, in addition to replacing lost fluids,
it ensures that critical nutrients are provided.
complementary feeding often begins too early
or too late, with foods that are often unsafe or
nutritionally insufficient, leading these infants,
who are more likely to be sick frequently, to
become malnourished and suffer the life-long
consequences of impaired development.36
After six months, when breast milk needs to be
complemented with other foods, health care workers
need to counsel families to ensure food is hygienically
prepared and fed so it is safe and adequate for
infants and children 6 to 24 months of age. Children
are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition during
this period due to inadequate infant and young child
feeding practices during and after illness.
:: Rotavirus and the Promise of New Vaccines
Problem. Each year rotavirus — the leading
cause of severe diarrhea — kills more than
500,000 children and hospitalizes millions.
While nearly every child in the world will have
at least one rotavirus infection by age three, it
causes a disproportionate number of deaths in
developing nations, where access to emergency
care can be limited.37
Despite the benefits of breastfeeding, fewer than
35 percent of infants worldwide are exclusively
breastfed during their first four months of
life, according to the WHO. In addition,
18
POTEN T I AL LI V E S S AV ED BY R OTAV IR US
VACC I N AT I O N
70
250
200
50
40
150
30
100
20
Lives Saved (thousands)
Infants Vaccinated (millions)
60
of the routine immunization programs in several
countries throughout the world. Manufacturers
in India, China, and Brazil are also working
to develop promising new rotavirus vaccine
candidates.
“The best way to protect children from the deadly
50
10
disease is to prevent them from getting it in the
first place.”
0
0
— Dr. Ruth F. Bishop led the team of researchers
that discovered rotavirus.38
2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025
Impact. In the United States alone, rotavirus
vaccination has led to dramatic drops in severe
rotavirus-related hospitalizations and emergency
room visits by as much as 80 percent. The vaccines
may also have prevented illness in unvaccinated
children by limiting the number of circulating
infections.39
SOURCE: PATH/D, Atherly.
Solution. Vaccines are another important,
proven diarrheal disease prevention method.
They are particularly critical in areas where
appropriate medical treatment for severe
diarrhea and dehydration is limited and access
to safe water is inadequate.
Once the WHO makes a global recommendation,
anticipated in 2009, Africa and Asia will be eligible
for GAVI financing for rotavirus vaccines.
Recently developed vaccines have the potential to
prevent rotavirus. In 2006, two orally administered
rotavirus vaccines — Rotarix™ manufactured
by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and RotaTeq®
manufactured by Merck and Co., Inc. — were
demonstrated to be safe and effective in large-scale
clinical trials in Europe, Latin America, and North
America. With a 90 to 100 percent efficacy rate
against severe rotavirus, the vaccines were licensed
for use in those regions.37 They are currently part
Rotavirus vaccines have the potential to prevent
the deaths of approximately 225,000 children in the
world’s poorest countries each year and more than
2.5 million in approximately the next 20 years.4
19
T R E AT M E N T
]Deaths from diarrheal dehydration and other sicknesses triggered
by inadequate water and sanitation remain the world’s most serious
public health problem — but one that could be solved today.^
— David Douglas, President of Water Advocates 40
Proven, lifesaving treatment options also exist for
diarrheal disease.
lifesaving solution was discovered by scientists in
the 1970s. In 1978, The Lancet referred to ORS as
“potentially the most important medical advance
of this century.” Today, ORS is the cornerstone of
diarrheal disease treatment in both industrialized
and developing nations. It reduces dehydration in
nearly 90 percent of patients.42
When diarrhea occurs, it can be treated effectively
with ORS, ORT, and zinc supplementation. Exclusive
breastfeeding of infants under 6 months of age and
continuing to breastfeed them up to 24 months of
age may also help infants recover faster and reduce
the risk of malnutrition, which makes infants more
susceptible to dying during future diarrhea episodes.
Since the 1970s, ORS has saved an estimated
50 million lives, and it costs less than US$0.30.41
:: Rehydration Therapy
In 2001, a new ORS with a reduced sodium and
glucose content was created. The new formula,
low-osmolarity ORS, is packaged as a powder to
be mixed with clean water. It is easy to use and can
be administered by a health care provider or at
home by parents and caregivers. Compared with
the original formula, the new formula improves
efficacy and reduces the need for unscheduled IV
interventions by almost 33 percent, lowers stool
volume by nearly 25 percent, and causes almost 30
percent less vomiting.43
Problem. Diarrheal disease becomes fatal when
it leads to severe dehydration. Children in poor
countries suffer from dehydrating diarrhea an
average of four times per year. In low-resource
settings, it can be fatal.41
Solution. Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) and oral
rehydration solution (ORS) involve rehydrating
children by replacing fluids and electrolytes
lost through diarrhea. The broader intervention
method, ORT, involves rehydrating children
through increased appropriate and available fluids
such as breast milk or rice water mixed with
salt, soups, and cereals and continued feeding to
prevent and treat diarrhea-related dehydration.
The WHO and UNICEF both recommend use of
the low-osmolarity formula.
Impact. ORT and ORS were critical in preventing
more than one million diarrheal disease deaths
annually by the 1990s. However, despite these
successes, ORT and ORS use has stagnated in some
countries and declined in others.44, 45 From 1992 to
ORS is a specific way of implementing ORT. It is
a simple mixture of sugar and salt added to clean
water that can be administered at home. This
20
C H A N GE I N O R T U SE
ORT use has declined in 23 countries, 14 of which are located in Africa
Mali, 1996
Mali
1996-2001
2001
Colombia, 2000-2005
Burkina Faso, 1999-2003
Eritrea, 1995-2002
Mozambique, 1997-2003
Malawi, 2000-2005
Bangladesh, 2000-2004
Peru, 1996-2000
Haiti, 2000-2005
Vietnam, 1997-2002
Egypt, 2000-2005
Rwanda, 2000-2005
Tanzania, 1999-2004
Morocco, 1992-2003
Namibia, 1992-2000
Ghana, 1998-2003
Nepal, 1996-2001
Nicaragua, 1998-2001
Benin. 1996-2001
Dominican Republic, 1999-2002
Ethiopia, 2000-2005
Madagascar, 1997-2003
Zambia, 1996-2001
Jordan, 1997-2002
Bolivia, 1998-2003
Philippines, 1998-2003
Senegal, 1997-2005
Guinea, 1999-2005
Cameroon, 1998-2004
Uganda, 1995-2000
Indonesia, 1997-2002
Chad, 1997-2004
Nigeria, 1999-2003
Kenya, 1998-2003
-35
-30
-25
Source: Ram et al, Bulletin of the WHO, March 2008.
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
Change in ORT use in children <3
21
15
20
OR S S UCC E SS IN B U R UNDI
Diarrhea is a leading cause of death in Burundi, accounting for 18 percent of
deaths among children under five. Population Services International/Burundi
has been distributing oral rehydration salts (ORS) through commercial outlets
in Burundi under the brand Orasel since 2004 as part of a USAID-funded project
to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality. Despite these efforts, a nationally
representative baseline survey of female caregivers of children under five
conducted in 2006 showed that just 20 percent of caregivers had administered
Orasel to their child during the child’s latest diarrhea episode. Although
knowledge of the role of dehydration in causing death was nearly universal,
fewer than one-third of caregivers felt capable of preparing and administering
Orasel to a child. Based on these findings, PSI/Burundi implemented a
variety of strategies to increase Orasel use, including conducting public
demonstrations on how to prepare and use it, disseminating print and radio
messages about the benefits of Orasel, and changing the taste from a bitter flavor to an orange flavor. In the
follow-up survey in 2007, use of Orasel among all caregivers had increased to 30 percent; among those who
were highly exposed to the PSI campaign, 75 percent had treated their child with Orasel during the child’s last
diarrhea episode. Caregivers highly exposed to the campaign also showed significant increases in knowledge
of signs of diarrhea, dehydration, and self-efficacy for Orasel use (from 28 percent at baseline to 88 percent at
follow-up). Further, 86 percent of highly exposed caregivers reported having discussed Orasel use with others.
These findings suggest that social marketing of ORS and skills-building interventions can improve ORS use
among caregivers.46
2005, ORS use declined in 23 countries, including
14 in Africa alone. This decline may be due to lack
of knowledge about and access to ORS and ORT.47
to households in the higher socioeconomic group
having better access to safe drinking water and
sanitation as well as awareness of, access to, and
funding for ORT and related health care services.
To address this disparity, the researchers involved
in the study recommended educating lowerincome groups on the importance of ORT and
making it more accessible and affordable.48
A recent study found that households in the
poorest socioeconomic groups consistently
experienced greater diarrhea death rates and
used ORT less frequently than those in higher
socioeconomic groups. This disparity may be due
22
Z I N C TREAT
TREA T MEN T S AND W
WA T ER D I SI N
NFE
FE CT
C T IO N FO R I NDIA’
NDIA S PO O RE S T
In India
India, 25 p
percent of diarrheal deaths occur every year in Uttar
Pradesh
P
d h (UP)
(UP), one off the
h country’s
country’s most populous
l
and
d iimpoverished
i h d
states.
states
t t
One off th
O
the main
i causes off di
diarrhea
h iis th
the llack
k off clean
l
d
drinking
i ki g
water. That is why USAID and Academyy for Educational Development
water
p
(AED) stepped in with a household water treatment program known
as Point-of-Use Water Disinfection and Zinc Treatment (POUZN) with
an aim to reach more than one million poor residents in the region. By
combining these two important treatments, POUZN expects to halve
the number of instances of diarrhea among children under age five.
Self-help groups and grassroots organizations are working together
with POUZN to provide households with water products and systems
to create clean drinking water. Not only are the tools made available,
but the families are also given information on why water disinfection is
so critical. Community members are shown the contaminants in their
water before water disinfection practices begin. Water samples from
wells, lakes, and rivers, as well as water samples from water stored at
home, are publicly tested to demonstrate contaminated water and how
important it is to disinfect water before drinking it. POUZN is training and engaging grassroots organizations to promote
improved diarrhea treatment to the Rural Medical Practitioners, who are the community’s first recourse for advice and
treatment when a child is sick.49
However, the decline in use and awareness of ORS
and ORT is not limited to developing countries.
According to research conducted in 2008, 74 percent
of pediatric health facilities in London were not
aware of ORT use as an intervention for diarrhea.50
that can considerably reduce the duration and
severity of diarrhea episodes, decrease stool output,
and lessen the need for hospitalization. It may also
prevent future diarrhea for up to three months.
Zinc can be administered as syrup or a tablet that
is dissolved in clean water or breast milk. When
using zinc to treat diarrheal disease, it is important
that the full course of zinc is taken in conjunction
with ORS/ORT and that follow-up and behavior
change messages for caregivers are given to ensure
full compliance.
:: Zinc Treatment and Other Micronutrients
Problem. Zinc, an important micronutrient that is
needed for the overall health and development of
infants and young children, can become depleted
through diarrhea.
Solution. Zinc is a critical new intervention for
treating diarrhea, particularly in the developing
world. It is a safe and effective treatment option
Vitamin A supplementation is another important
and low-cost intervention for controlling severe
23
of vitamin A for newborns has been found to be
effective in reducing early mortality, and may soon
be widely recommended.52
Zinc Treatment Results In:
Z25% reduction in duration of
acute diarrhea
Impact. In 2004, the WHO and UNICEF issued a
joint statement recommending the use of a 10- to
14-day zinc treatment in conjunction with lowosmolarity ORS as a two-pronged approach to treat
acute diarrhea in children.
Z29% reduction in duration of
persistent diarrhea
Z40% reduction in treatment failure
or death from persistent diarrhea 51
In a study in Bangladesh, the use of zinc therapy
not only expanded control of diarrheal diseases,
but also increased use of ORS and decreased the
administration of unnecessary antibiotics.53 It has
been determined that the use of both zinc and
ORS for diarrhea can dramatically reduce the
need for unscheduled IV therapy and, more
importantly, reduce the number of diarrheal
disease-related deaths.
and potentially fatal diarrheal episodes. The relative
risk of dying from diarrhea increases two-fold in
children with vitamin A deficiency. In countries
where under-five mortality rates are high, giving
semi-annual vitamin A supplements to children
6 to 59 months old decreases overall mortality
from all childhood diseases by 23 percent and
mortality from diarrhea by 32 percent. A dose
24
PROGRESS: ID ENT I FY I NG N EW I NTERVE NTI
PROGRESS
NT I O NS
Z The Institute for OneWorld Health (iOWH) is working on two new treatments to complement existing
interventions. iOWH is working to develop novel medicines through a new approach by reducing or preventing
the massive fluid loss that can lead to death by dehydration. Used in conjunction with ORT, such a medicine
could speed recovery and help save many lives. Additionally, iOWH is in the early stages of discovery of
antibiotic combination therapies that can overcome the emergence of dysentery-causing bacteria such as
Shigella that are resistant to current antibiotic therapies.
Z PATH is working with public- and private-sector partners on new vaccines to address the main bacterial
causes of diarrhea: enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) and Shigella, which combined are responsible for
at least one million diarrheal disease deaths each year. For many infants, ETEC may be the first enteric illness
they encounter, and Shigella, along with rotavirus, is the most frequent cause of hospitalization for infants
and young children. These bacterial causes of diarrhea can easily spread in areas with poor sanitation and
limited access to clean water, which are frequent concerns in the developing world. Their growing antibiotic
resistance further underscores the need for vaccines to prevent these forms of bacterial diarrhea. A number
of vaccine candidates for the prevention of ETEC and Shigella are in development, and they are moving through
a series of rigorous preclinical and clinical trials to ensure their safety and efficacy.
Z Two oral vaccines (one an inactivated whole cell vaccine and the other an attenuated vaccine) against
cholera, which is one of the deadliest forms of diarrhea, are already licensed internationally. However, work
continues toward developing a vaccine that is both effective and affordable in low-resource and emergency
settings. A vaccine tested in India by scientists working with the Seoul-based International Vaccine Institute
recently demonstrated positive results that may pave the way for the world’s first affordable cholera vaccine.
Z Pediatricians and research scientists at Yale University, Christian Medical College Vellore, and Flinders
University are collaborating on the development and testing of a new starch-based ORS formulation that has
shown promise in reducing symptoms faster and being more appealing to caregivers.
Z PATH is working with partners to develop a point-of-care diagnostic tool — a “lab-on-a-card.” This credit
card-sized piece of plastic will contain minute amounts of the chemicals and reagents needed to translate a
stool sample into an instant diagnosis. An accurate diagnostic tool that can be used in real-world conditions
will help to quickly identify infections, determine efficient treatment plans, and avoid the inappropriate use of
antibiotics that fosters resistance.
25
LOOKING FORWARD
]It is still just unbelievable to us that diarrhea is one of the leading
causes of child deaths in the world. ^ — Melinda Gates, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
54
Z One intervention can mobilize the adoption
of others. For example, the WHO and UNICEF
recently issued a recommendation that zinc and
ORS be used together as a two-pronged approach
to diarrheal disease.
Fighting Diarrheal Disease with a
Coordinated Strategy
We have the lifesaving, cost-effective prevention
and treatment interventions at hand to stop the
second-leading killer of children worldwide.
Over the last three decades, millions of children’s
lives have been saved by protecting them against
diarrheal disease through proven methods such as
ORS, ORT, optimal infant and young child feeding
practices such as exclusive breastfeeding, zinc
treatment, improved hygiene, better sanitation,
and the availability of clean water. But individual
solutions alone will not be enough. We need
a coordinated approach that involves both
prevention and treatment solutions.
Z Combining and implementing interventions may
be more cost effective.
We have the tools at hand. What we need now is
a renewed commitment.
“Looking forward, the large-scale introduction
of pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines in
developing countries will provide us with an
historic opportunity to address two of the
Z Because there are many different causes of
diarrheal disease, we need to enlist every available
intervention to ensure we are preventing and
treating all of its forms. For example, rotavirus
vaccines only prevent diarrheal disease caused by
rotavirus, so additional methods are necessary in
order to prevent and treat other forms of
diarrheal disease.
most important causes of mortality in children
under five — pneumonia and diarrhea — in a
comprehensive way...a focus on ORT, vitamin
A, and zinc; community-case management of
diarrhea and pneumonia; social and behavior
change, including promotion of early and exclusive
breastfeeding; hand-washing with soap; and
home-treatment of water; as well as community
sanitation approaches. By introducing these new
Z Diarrhea prevention and treatment methods are
complementary. Improved sanitation and handwashing go hand-in-hand. Safe drinking water is a
necessary component of ORS and ORT.
vaccines as part of a comprehensive package of
services and strengthening community-based
systems, we will maximize their impact on MDG 4,
and do so in a sustainable way.” — Saad Houry, Deputy
Executive Director of UNICEF.55
26
E VE
V E RY C H ILD ’S
S ADVOCA
ADVO CA
CAT
TE
Women rarely hold office in Kenya. Florence Weke-sa is
an exception. As the only female member of the Kimilili
Municipal Council, she has become a voice for the mothers
of her ward and their children. Wrapped in her customary
bright colors, Florence stands out in a crowd — and so does
her message: “We need to care for our children.”
As a councilor, it is Florence’s duty to be present at every
funeral in her district. Too often, the funerals are direct
evidence of how quickly and how often diarrhea kills. The
funerals affect Florence as both a leader and a mother. She
vividly remembers a long week almost 20 years ago that she
Florence attends a diarrheal disease control workshop held by PATH in Kenya.
spent nursing her son through a nearly fatal outbreak.
Last year, Florence took part in a pilot project run by PATH, joining a workshop that taught practical methods to reduce
diarrheal disease with a comprehensive approach: breastfeeding, use of oral rehydration solution, zinc treatment, and
proper hygiene. The workshop was part of a new, community-based approach to diarrheal disease control in the region
and a proving ground for techniques that will be integrated into Kenya’s National Diarrheal Disease Control policy. The
model will soon be transitioned to Vietnam as well.
Learning how to respond when diarrhea breaks out in a village — including slowing its spread from household to household,
keeping children hydrated, and ensuring the availability of clean water — gave her a fresh set of tools. Florence, who believes
a councilor’s job is to lead by example said, “The seminar opened up so much.”
Armed with information, Florence can provide immediate aid to families who come to her when a child is violently ill. She
travels every week to churches, schools, and health clinics, spreading awareness among parents and community leaders and
creating a safety net for her community’s children. According to Florence, “Diarrhea is still here — but it is no longer killing.”
27
MD G 7 CA L L S FOR I MPROVED SA NI TATI ON B Y 2 0 1 5 . 2 4
Sanitation can be improved with:
ZComposting toilets
ZCoverable pit latrines
ZVentilated pit latrines
ZFlush/pour toilets that send waste to a piped sewer tank,
septic tank, or pit latrine
The Chaudhary family from the village of Beli in the terai of Nepal stands
next to their new pit latrine.
We Have an Opportunity to Defeat
Diarrhea Now
Millions of children’s lives have been saved by
diarrheal disease interventions and millions more
can be saved moving forward.
History has demonstrated that diarrheal disease
interventions work. Deaths of children under
the age of five have declined by nearly half since
the 1980s. But progress has stalled, and today 1.6
million children still die from diarrhea each year.
That’s too many.
Proven, lifesaving interventions already exist.
Unlike many other global health crises, costeffective, lifesaving prevention and treatment
methods already exist for diarrheal disease. These
interventions include ORS, ORT, optimal infant
and young child feeding practices, such as exclusive
breastfeeding, improved sanitation, and good
hygiene, as well as new tools like zinc treatment
and rotavirus vaccines. Because diarrheal disease
has many different causes and infections respond
differently to each intervention technique, a
coordinated approach is needed to address the
multiple sources of infection.
We know what works. What we need now is the
political will and resources to make it happen.
World leaders are committed to child survival.
For a child in a poor country, simply surviving
early childhood can be at tremendous feat. For
example, one in six children in sub-Saharan
Africa die before their fifth birthday. A child in
Sierra Leone, which has the world’s highest child
mortality rate (262 out of 1,000 in 2007)56 is almost
100 times more likely to die than one born in
Sweden (with a rate of 3).57
28
COUN T R I E S WI T H T H E M O S T DEAT H S R ELATED TO D I A RRHEA L D I SEA SE
Deaths from Diarrhea
11 countries account for over 70% of global deaths each year from diarrheal disease
90% of deaths are children
Countries
Source: Safe Water, Better Health (WHO, 2008).
Every year, 9.2 million children under the age of
five die, and 90 percent of those deaths are from
preventable conditions like diarrheal disease.23
As our world’s climate and demographics change
and natural resources are depleted, diarrheal
disease will become an even more significant
global health threat. The threat of diarrheal
disease outbreaks related to natural disasters
such as the cyclone in Myanmar portend major
diarrheal disease-related health crises in the future.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (IFRC) recently reported that
diarrheal disease such as cholera is increasingly
becoming the major cause of recurring disease
and death throughout the world, particularly in
sub-Saharan Africa. According to 2007 and 2008
IFRC data, approximately 60 percent of all requests
submitted for IFRC Disaster Response Emergency
funding were related to outbreaks of acute
diarrheal disease.60
To address the inequities between low-income
and wealthier countries, as well as the needs of
future generations everywhere, world leaders came
together in 2000 at the UN Millennium Summit
and drafted the MDGs — a “blue print for a better
future.”58 The goals establish a set of priorities to be
reached by 2015.
Aggressively combating diarrheal disease is crucial
to the success of two of the goals that came out
of the UN meeting. MDG 4 calls on the global
community to reduce the mortality rate of children
under the age of five by two-thirds or fewer than
five million deaths per year. MDG 7 calls for
reducing the number of people without access to
safe drinking water and sanitation by half.59
29
P O LI CY M AK ER & GLO BAL H EALT H FUND I NG RESEA RCH I ND I CATES:
Percentage of Points Awarded
(X out of 100)
Diarrheal disease ranks low among global health priorities
6%
7%
Diarrheal disease
7%
Malnutrition
8%
ARIs/Pneumonia
8%
14%
Neonatal causes
Measles
Tuberculosis
Malaria
AIDS
18%
32%
Source: PATH.
“We have noticed a significant increase in the
number of operations undertaken to respond
to acute situations...This trend is the combined
result of poor hygiene practices, lack of
awareness of disease transmission, and a
shortage of safe water. Poor sanitation linked to
unplanned urbanization is also a major factor.
This is further complicated by the effects of
climate change, which have led to an increase in
the frequency and intensity of floods and related
epidemics...Humanitarian efforts have had some
impact, but data suggests we may be losing
Challenges Remain
We have more proven intervention methods to
combat diarrheal disease than ever before, but the
momentum to control it has slowed, and children
in the poorest countries are dying because they are
not getting the simple lifesaving treatments they
need to survive.
the battle. This is especially true in countries
affected by extreme poverty and conflict, where
diarrheal diseases have become endemic. Such
countries now require long-term commitment if
this worrying scenario is to be pushed back.”
— Uli Jaspers, head of the IFRC water and sanitation team. 60
30
Three significant factors contribute to stalled or decreased attention and funding for diarrheal disease
Increased
Incr
eased priority placed
placed on other diseases
14
D creased
Decr
d public
bli awarenes
enesss off di
diarrhea
h as a
major
j childhood
hildh d killer
killer
3
Insufficient knowledge of diarrhea amongst
government officials
2
3
8
3
2
4
3
First
2
A shift toward integrated management of
childhood illness
Second
3
Third
Lack of success in rolling out prevention and
treatment solutions
3
0
N =19
2
5
10
15
20
Number of Respondents
Source: PATH.
Today, although diarrhea is the second leading
killer of children under the age of five
worldwide, it is not treated as a global health
priority. In fact, a 2008 research study conducted
by PATH to evaluate the global health funding
and policy landscape found that diarrheal
disease ranked last among a list of other global
health issues. Public awareness of this issue is also
low, making it difficult to mobilize commitments
and resources. In donor countries such as the United
States, many are unaware of the burden of diarrheal
disease and the existing prevention and treatment
options.15
Only 38 percent of children under five with
diarrhea receive oral rehydration
and continued feeding.
62 percent of infants under six months of
age are not exclusively breastfed.61
the US should be doing more to save lives around
the world.
ZHowever, most do not realize preventable and
treatable diarrheal disease is a leading killer.62
Z93 percent of Americans think child survival
should be a global health priority.
Despite the persistently high burden of the
disease, research into childhood diarrhea has
been steadily decreasing since the 1980s, according
Z73 percent say knowing how to prevent the
major causes of child death is a major reason
31
*Breastfeeding
1
a
Water, sanitation, hygiene
1
eo
N
m
1
Insecticide-treated materials
Complementary feeding
de
hy
xi
h
rt
Bi
1
1
1
Pr
et
er
as
p
DS
AI
V/
HI
al
ar
ia
M
ea
sl
es
on
ia
M
Pn
eu
m
Preventive Interventions
Di
ar
r
he
a
More proven interventions are available to prevent and treat diarrhea
than any other major child killer
liv
er
na
y
ta
lt
et
N
an
eo
us
na
ta
ls
ep
si
s
P R OV EN INT ER V ENT IO NS FOR THE L EA D I NG KI L L ERS OF CHI L D REN
1
1
1
1
1
Hib vaccine
Zinc
1
Vitamin A
1
2
1
2
2
Antenatal steroids
1
Newborn temperature
management
2
1
Tetanus toxoid
1
Nevirapine and replacment
feeding
2
Antibiotics for premature
rupture of memberanes
2
1
Clean delivery
1
1
Measles vaccine
1
Antimalarial intermittent
preventive treatment in
pregnancy
Treatment Interventions
Oral rehydration therapy
1
1
Antibiotics for pneumonia
1
Antimalarials
1
Antibiotics for sepsis
2
Newborn resucitation
Antibiotics for dysentery
1
Zinc
1
1
Vitamin A
1
Level 1 (sufficient) evidence
Hib=Haemophilus influenza type b
2
Level 2 (limited) evidence
* Exclusive breastfeeding in
the first 6 months of life and
continued breastfeeding from
6 to 11 months.
SOURCE: Jones G Bryce J. et al., Lancet CS, series 2003.
32
ONLY 4 . 4 P E R C EN
E N T O F G LO
O BA L H EA LT H F UN
U N D IN
I N G G O ES TO
T O WA RD
D IA R R HE A L D I S E AS E R ES EAR C H & DEV ELO
E LO
LOPME
PME N T
100%
% OF
GLOBAL
HEALTH
SPENDING
4.4%
0%
Source: George Institute, 2008.
to the WHO. Funds available for research into
diarrhea are less than those available for
research into other diseases that cause fewer
deaths. For example, diarrheal disease receives
less than one-tenth the funding that Type 2
diabetes receives.63, 64
have prevented the global health community from
mobilizing around the issue and committing to stop
it. Additionally, research also indicates that while a
great deal is known about effective treatments for
diarrhea, there is a critical lack of knowledge on
how to make sure the children who need diarrheal
disease treatment can get access to it.63
Barriers exist at both the country level, with lack of
awareness of and access to life-saving interventions,
and at the global level, with advocacy challenges that
Widespread adoption of proven, existing water,
sanitation, hygiene, and health interventions has
33
INCREASING ACCESS TO INTERVENTIONS
Interventions seen as an integral part of a coordinated approach to fighting diarrheal disease:
Clean water and sanitation
93%
ORS/ORT
93%
83%
Breastfeeding
80%
Vaccines
Zinc
63%
Nutrition
63%
33%
Restorative feeding
N = 30
23%
Diagnostics
20%
Anti-diarrheals
0
20
40
60
80
100
Increasing access to proven interventions is believed to be the most
effective way to accelerate progress toward MDG 4
SOURCE: PATH.
been hampered by the lack of political leadership and
commitment to fight diarrheal disease. In turn, this
has led to a decline in funding and research on the
issue. Interventions that may be easily accessible in
the developed world are not as accessible to the
children who need them most in the developing world.
and political will necessary to reduce the illness
and deaths from diarrhea. These steps include:
Z Investing the resources to ensure that funding for
diarrheal disease, including both prevention and
treatment interventions, is commensurate with the
scope of the burden the illness places on families
and communities around the world.
The challenges are great but so are the
opportunities to save millions of children’s lives
worldwide. Leaders from all sectors can take
practical steps to begin to galvanize the funding
Z Redoubling commitment to reducing the child
mortality MDG by 2015 as stated in the WHO/
34
]The persisting high mortality rate from diarrhea in the presence of
existing, cost-effective interventions and available resources to implement
them represents a continuing scandal. ^ — Olivier Fontaine, Margaret Kosek, Shinjini Bhatnagar, Cynthia
Boschi-Pinto et al. PLOS Medicine.63
sanitation, water and hygiene; further including
sanitation, water, and hygiene interventions in health
efforts to prevent and control diarrheal disease.
By reprioritizing diarrheal disease as a global
health priority and educating, increasing awareness
among, and mobilizing the global community
around the burden of diarrheal disease and the
lifesaving health, hygiene, sanitation, and safe water
interventions that exist today, we can save lives. A
coordinated approach will be crucial to the effort
to ensure that this preventable and treatable disease
is no longer a leading killer of children. Because no
child should die from diarrhea.
UNICEF joint statement on the MDGs, focusing
on addressing diarrheal disease as a strategy for
clear and rapid progress towards that goal.
Z Investing in the research and development of new
effective, appropriate, and affordable prevention
and treatment options for diarrheal disease.
Z Prioritizing the implementation of an appropriate
combination of interventions against diarrhea,
including improved water, hygiene, and sanitation;
optimal infant and young child feeding; increased
access to and uptake of vitamin A, ORS, and zinc;
and rotavirus vaccination.
Z Including diarrhea prevention and control in
international, regional, and country plans on
35
17 Bryce J, el Arifeen S, Pariyo G, et al. Child survival III: reducing
child mortality: can public health deliver? Lancet. 2003;362:159-64.
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36
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Additional Sources and Resources
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37
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Istanbul, Turkey.
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Household Water Treatment and Storage Product:
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The world’s forgotten children. Lancet. 2003;361(9351):1.
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Photography Credits
WHO says diarrhea is a major killer. Agence France Presse. March 9, 2009.
FRONT COVER 1. Philippe Blanc (left, top), 2. Amy Gottlieb (left,
bottom), 3. Amy Gottlieb (middle), 4. PATH/Satvir Malholtra (right,
top), 5. Amy Gottlieb (right, bottom)
WEBSITES
Controlling Diarrheal Disease:
http://www.path.org/diarrheal-disease.php.
BACKGROUND Page 6. PATH/Janie Hayes, Page 7. PATH
Enhanced Diarrheal Disease Control Resource Center:
http://www.eddcontrol.org.
PREVENTION Page 11. Amy Gottlieb, Page 12. WaterAid/Marco Betti
(all), Page 13. Amy Gottlieb (all), Page 14. Amy Gottlieb (all), Page
15. Amy Gottlieb (all), Page 16. Richard Franco (top), Richard Lord
(bottom), Page 18. PATH/Mike Wang
PATH: http://www.path.org.
PATH’s Rotavirus Vaccine Program: http://www.rotavirusvaccine.org.
TREATMENT Page 22. Amy Gottlieb (all), Page 23. PATH, Page 24.
PATH/Satvir Malholtra
Shigellosis and Enterotoxigenic Escherichia Coli (ETEC):
http://www.path.org/vaccineresources/shigella-etec.php.
LOOKING FORWARD Page 27. PATH/Janie Hayes, Page 28.
WaterAid/Marco Betti, Page 30. PATH/Mike Wang, Page 33. Heng
Chivoan, Page 35. Amy Gottlieb
UN Millenium Project: www.unmillenniumproject.org/goals/index.
WaterAid America: http://www.wateraidamerica.org.
WaterAid: http://www.wateraid.org/uk.
BACK COVER Amy Gottlieb (left), Amy Gottlieb (middle), David and
Lucile Packard Foundation(right)
World Health Organization: www.who.int/.
FACT SHEETS
Accelerating the Development of New Rotavirus Vaccines:
http://www.path.org/files/VAC_rotavirus_fs.pdf.
Advancing New Rotavirus Vaccines:
http://www.path.org/files/VAC_rotavirus_fs.pdf.
An Integrated Approach to Confronting Diarrheal Disease:
http://www.path.org/files/VAC_dd_approach_fs.pdf.
Breastfeeding and Diarrhea:
http://www.path.org/files/IMM_EDD-breastfeeding_fs.pdf.
38
For more information on diarrheal disease please visit
www.eddcontrol.org and www.path.org.
This report was developed with generous support from the GAVI Alliance and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
1800 K Street NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20006 USA
info@path.org www.path.org
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helps provide appropriate health technologies and vital strategies that change the
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40